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A review by _onemorechapter_
The Vacancy in Room 10 by Seraphina Nova Glass
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
๐ป.๐พ: Do Not Read the Review if you loved/liked the book!
๐ญOver-Hyped
I waited for this book to be released after reading all of the many 5-star reviews for this book, it became one of my most anticipated reads for 2024, and to me it was a total letdown. So much going on and none of it feels authentic.
Well, that took me thrice as long as it usually takes me to read a book! I was curious enough to want to finish and learn the answers, but the pace was SLOW and the writing just wasnโt keeping me engaged. I was easily distracted by anything and everything else going on around me. I feel to be an outlier here because I donโt have the same rave review of this book that so many others do. Although some have claimed that this started with a punch and granted it somewhat did, I was completely bored for the first 25% of it and I feel like it just might be a good time to DNF! But I don't know how to DNF a book even if I'm not enjoying what I'm reading! I generally finish a good book in a day or two but I have taken more than 15 days to complete this (I fell into a reading slump) and the book was not at all interesting enough to keep me engaged.
Cass's life hasn't turned out how she expected; far from it, in fact. Reeling from a blindsiding breakup and forced to find the first work she comes across, she winds up the handy ma'am(who gets free rent for clean up and for fixing whatโs broken) at a worn-down apartment complex called the Sycamores. On a good day at the Sycamores, Cass can almost breathe again; nobody knows her, her story, or her side hustle of blackmailing unsuspecting men. They had it coming, after all.
THE SYCAMORES is where the broken people live. Itโs a run-down, U-shaped motel that has been converted into low-rent apartments.
Meanwhile, Anna is grappling with the unexpected loss of her husband Henry. His final days are clouded with mystery, and as a self-proclaimed resident artist of the Sycamores--of all places--Anna's started to wonder if she knew her husband at all. The final, teary voicemail he left her alluding to a terrible act he committed suggests she didn't. When Anna packs up her life and turns to Henry's abandoned unit at the Sycamores for answers, she stumbles upon more questions than answers. And, someone immediately lets her know that she isnโt wanted there, by leaving her threatening notes and gifts.
The story is told from the alternating POVs of both women. The main characters, along with the minor ones, were untrustworthy and unlikeable. I liked Cass and her spunkiness more than Anna and her desperation, but I wish both of them had more common sense. And the character of Anna was not well-developed. She was constantly making very stupid decisions, and therefore I didn't really like her.
The whole story was pretty mid and overdone. Nothing was surprising or new that I hadn't read before. There was no suspense, and the slow burn was just Slow no Burn. I also found some parts to be repetitive and there were a few editing mistakes that I caught too - Cass at one point says she never knew her mom, and then later talks about a trip she takes with both her mom and dad. New 10-year-old resident Frank is called Sinatra (because of his blue eyes) until halfway through, and then he's just "Frank."
Some aspects could definitely have been left out completely and streamlined--and while the characters and descriptions of However, despite being slow this book did have some positive points. It was incredibly descriptive, and I felt like I was right there with the characters in these shabby, run-down converted apartments. The atmospheric writing is why I kept reading as it was really the best part. The Sycamores were well-done, evocative, and added a wonderful depth to the story, that seemed to actually come at the expense of action and plot. I was also not a fan of the ending, as I found it a bit tacky and was expecting something a little more liberating.
Baffling turns and reveals? The author does not play fair with her readers, using props to excavate herself from the tangled plot. But my biggest issue was the fact that once the action really picked up, everything unfolded--much too quickly--very conveniently. Crucial information that was withheld from the reader was revealed, and moments that should have elicited a "Wow! What a twist!" instead just came across as "Humph. Isn't that convenient..."
I know that itโs fictional and that the author takes certain liberties to ensure an exciting and dramatic story, but I couldnโt help but roll my eyes at some of the absolutely stupid things some of the main characters do. A recorded video is not sent by phone but found in a flash drive. Really? Drug lord killed with scissors in the neck? Was it the carotid artery? Pool ladies were the comic relief! They were such a vibe and I loved their unhinged energy/behaviour.
In addition, I'm confused by the title. What IS the vacancy in room 10? It's not vacant since Cass lives there. "Tenant in Room 10" would make more sense, even though it's not really all about Cass, Anna in Room 203 is half of the story!
Overall, this was not for me or maybe the timing was wrong but I didn't enjoy it. On a positive note, it has short chapters and alternating points of view which I do love!
๐.๐ My favorite character was little Frank Sinatra and I canโt wait for you to meet him!
๐ธ๐ด๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: โญโญโญ
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: 3.86 (3266)
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐: Thriller, Suspense, Psychological thriller, and Domestic Fiction
๐ธ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐: Start Elsewhere with Seraphina Nova Glass!
If you are looking for a suspenseful thriller full of tension, this is not it.
๐ญOver-Hyped
I waited for this book to be released after reading all of the many 5-star reviews for this book, it became one of my most anticipated reads for 2024, and to me it was a total letdown. So much going on and none of it feels authentic.
Well, that took me thrice as long as it usually takes me to read a book! I was curious enough to want to finish and learn the answers, but the pace was SLOW and the writing just wasnโt keeping me engaged. I was easily distracted by anything and everything else going on around me. I feel to be an outlier here because I donโt have the same rave review of this book that so many others do. Although some have claimed that this started with a punch and granted it somewhat did, I was completely bored for the first 25% of it and I feel like it just might be a good time to DNF! But I don't know how to DNF a book even if I'm not enjoying what I'm reading! I generally finish a good book in a day or two but I have taken more than 15 days to complete this (I fell into a reading slump) and the book was not at all interesting enough to keep me engaged.
Cass's life hasn't turned out how she expected; far from it, in fact. Reeling from a blindsiding breakup and forced to find the first work she comes across, she winds up the handy ma'am(who gets free rent for clean up and for fixing whatโs broken) at a worn-down apartment complex called the Sycamores. On a good day at the Sycamores, Cass can almost breathe again; nobody knows her, her story, or her side hustle of blackmailing unsuspecting men. They had it coming, after all.
THE SYCAMORES is where the broken people live. Itโs a run-down, U-shaped motel that has been converted into low-rent apartments.
Meanwhile, Anna is grappling with the unexpected loss of her husband Henry. His final days are clouded with mystery, and as a self-proclaimed resident artist of the Sycamores--of all places--Anna's started to wonder if she knew her husband at all. The final, teary voicemail he left her alluding to a terrible act he committed suggests she didn't. When Anna packs up her life and turns to Henry's abandoned unit at the Sycamores for answers, she stumbles upon more questions than answers. And, someone immediately lets her know that she isnโt wanted there, by leaving her threatening notes and gifts.
The story is told from the alternating POVs of both women. The main characters, along with the minor ones, were untrustworthy and unlikeable. I liked Cass and her spunkiness more than Anna and her desperation, but I wish both of them had more common sense. And the character of Anna was not well-developed. She was constantly making very stupid decisions, and therefore I didn't really like her.
The whole story was pretty mid and overdone. Nothing was surprising or new that I hadn't read before. There was no suspense, and the slow burn was just Slow no Burn. I also found some parts to be repetitive and there were a few editing mistakes that I caught too - Cass at one point says she never knew her mom, and then later talks about a trip she takes with both her mom and dad. New 10-year-old resident Frank is called Sinatra (because of his blue eyes) until halfway through, and then he's just "Frank."
Some aspects could definitely have been left out completely and streamlined--and while the characters and descriptions of However, despite being slow this book did have some positive points. It was incredibly descriptive, and I felt like I was right there with the characters in these shabby, run-down converted apartments. The atmospheric writing is why I kept reading as it was really the best part. The Sycamores were well-done, evocative, and added a wonderful depth to the story, that seemed to actually come at the expense of action and plot. I was also not a fan of the ending, as I found it a bit tacky and was expecting something a little more liberating.
Baffling turns and reveals? The author does not play fair with her readers, using props to excavate herself from the tangled plot. But my biggest issue was the fact that once the action really picked up, everything unfolded--much too quickly--very conveniently. Crucial information that was withheld from the reader was revealed, and moments that should have elicited a "Wow! What a twist!" instead just came across as "Humph. Isn't that convenient..."
I know that itโs fictional and that the author takes certain liberties to ensure an exciting and dramatic story, but I couldnโt help but roll my eyes at some of the absolutely stupid things some of the main characters do. A recorded video is not sent by phone but found in a flash drive. Really? Drug lord killed with scissors in the neck? Was it the carotid artery? Pool ladies were the comic relief! They were such a vibe and I loved their unhinged energy/behaviour.
In addition, I'm confused by the title. What IS the vacancy in room 10? It's not vacant since Cass lives there. "Tenant in Room 10" would make more sense, even though it's not really all about Cass, Anna in Room 203 is half of the story!
Overall, this was not for me or maybe the timing was wrong but I didn't enjoy it. On a positive note, it has short chapters and alternating points of view which I do love!
๐.๐ My favorite character was little Frank Sinatra and I canโt wait for you to meet him!
๐ธ๐ด๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: โญโญโญ
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: 3.86 (3266)
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐: Thriller, Suspense, Psychological thriller, and Domestic Fiction
๐ธ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐: Start Elsewhere with Seraphina Nova Glass!
If you are looking for a suspenseful thriller full of tension, this is not it.